Born in Houston, Texas. Graduate of United States Naval Academy in 1927 and was commissioned an ensign. Married to Pauline Wellbrock December 17, 1932. They have one son. Served in the Navy during World War II. He was communications officer on the aircraft carrier Hornet. When the ship was torpedoed, Dodson survived but a few of his coins were left in a briefcase on the flight deck. Commanding officer of the U.S.S. Thomas Jefferson 1949 to 1950. He retired as Rear Admiral in 1957.

Resident of Urbana, Illinois. He received an M.A. in history from the University of Illinois in 1953. He was an assistant professor of history at the University of Illinois 1957 to 1959.

Dodson served on U. S. Assay Commission in 1948. He established the Money Museum in the National Bank of Detroit in 1959 and served as its director 1959 to September 10, 1965. In 1966 he was appointed director of the Classical and European Culture Museum at the University of Illinois.

He was life member number 78 of the ANA. He served on the ANA board of governors 1950 to 1955, as vice president, and as 31st ANA President August 24, 1957, to August 19, 1961. Awarded the ANA Medal of Merit in 1950. Author of Money Tells the Story in 1962. He was a contributing editor to COINage Magazine 1973 to 1987. He received the Farran Zerbe Award in 1968. He was named a Numismatic News Numismatic Ambassador in 1988.

Dodson's collection was included in a Superior auction June 9, 1975, and a Bowers and Merena auction June 19-21, 1984. He was inducted into the ANA Numismatic Hall of Fame in 2000.

He was buried at Arlington National Cemetery.

photo: NUM 61 Nov 1948 page 770; NUM 70 Oct 1957 page 1154

bio: ConAut; DAS 82H; WWA 92-93; WWMW 92 obit: CW 2/12/96; NN 2/13/96 (photo)